“Hear Nebraska Vol. 3” Lincoln and Omaha Release Shows | Coverage

We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended our compilation release shows over the weekend at Zoo Bar and The Waiting Room. You can now stream and digitally download Hear Nebraska Vol. 3 via our Bandcamp. Of course, then you’d miss out on the quartz, mixed-color vinyl and this album art.

Find photos of both shows and quick review of Saturday’s Omaha show below:

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The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar

The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at Zoo Bar

Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar

Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar
Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar
The Bottle Tops at ZoJake Bellows at Zoo Baro Bar
Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar
Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar
Jake Bellows at Zoo Bar

Universe Contest at Zoo Bar

Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar084
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar
Universe Contest at Zoo Bar

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The saxophone solo in Ladyfinger’s “Junk City” cried through The Waiting Room Lounge, a surprise for the heavy hard rock set. The intricate bleats decorated Jamie Massey’s distorted guitars and Pat Oakes’s pounding, machine-gun drums.

To those listening, a bigger surprise than Kevin Pike’s horn part may have been that Ladyfinger had never played “Junk City” live before. The track is a leftover from 2013’s Errant Forms, but found its home on Hear Nebraska’s latest compilation album.

Ladyfinger at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015
Ladyfinger at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015
Ladyfinger at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015Ladyfinger at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015

Ladyfinger headlined the Hear Nebraska Vol. 3 vinyl compilation release party Saturday, with the hip-hop duo Both and singer-songwriter Jake Bellows opening.

Before Ladyfinger’s reverberating set, Jake Bellows offered a subdued indie rock taste. The now-defunct Neva Dinova songwriter filled The Waiting Room with only a calm voice and the hum of an electric guitar, no percussion necessary.

The now-LA-based Bellows played an intimate performance for his hometown, asking the audience for “melancholy or upbeat” requests and inviting his girlfriend, Morgan Nagler — they play in Whispertown together — for a couple of duets.

Jake Bellows at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015
Jake Bellows at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015

He reached to his beginnings as a Nebraska artist, his tender guitar spelling out personal versions of Neva Dinova songs and a cover of Bright Eyes’ “Spring Cleaning.”

Before Bellows, hip-hop duo Both hyped up The Waiting Room with a high-energy performance marked by atmospheric, polite loops and staccato beats.

INFNTLP curated a mini-DJ set before Scky Rei’s entrance. He remixed rap songs, using his setup to slow down the track and add punching sound effects.

From the moment Rei appeared onstage to offer aggressive, raspy raps, his chemistry with INFNTLP was noticeable. Rei pretended to be dizzy as INFNTLP worked the switches during “Toothpaste,” and the pair joked around while announcing their upcoming EP.

BOTH at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015
BOTH at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015
BOTH at The Waiting Room | April 18, 2015

The mixed bill of heavy rock ‘n roll, languid rock and hip-hop showed the eclecticism of genres featured on Hear Nebraska’s Vol. 3 compilation, a collection meant to showcase the genre representation in the state.